Why It Is Important To Bleed Your Radiators

Why It Is Important To Bleed Your Radiators

Radiators are probably the most common method of spreading the hot water around your house taking it from the boiler to each radiator in order to heat the entire house effectively. Whilst a properly installed boiler and radiator system should work efficiently for a number of years with the minimum amount of trouble it is important to make regular checks on your radiators.

In order for the maximum efficiency you need to have regular maintenance checks of your boiler by a professional but checking whether radiators need bleeding is something which almost anybody should be able to manage.

Releasing Trapped Air

Bleeding a radiator is simply releasing the trapped air or trapped gas which is preventing the hot water from circulating and heating the radiator to the maximum. It really is quite simple to bleed radiators and can make a massive difference to the comfort and energy efficiency of your home.

The first thing to do is to switch on the heating to warm up the radiators. The pressure must be built up inside each radiator in order for any air pressure to be forced out during the bleeding process.

Check All Your Radiators

When all of the radiators are suitably hot you need to check each one individually to see if it needs to be bled. Be careful not to burn yourself as radiators can get extremely hot. If there are any cooler areas close to the top of the radiator it is a sure sign that a little bleeding is required.

You must switch off the central heating before you start to bleed any radiators which need attention. After the heating has been switched off you will need a radiator key or a flat bladed screwdriver. It’s a good idea to have a radiator key handy close to all of the radiators in your home – they are very small and can easily become lost.

There will be a valve at one end of the top of the radiator – attach the radiator key to this valve and slowly turn the key or screwdriver in a counter clockwise direction. You should hear a hissing sound as the gas escapes. Have an old cloth handy to catch drips of water which come out from the radiator.

After the hissing has stopped you can tighten up the valve again and the radiator should warm up evenly the next time you switch on the heating.

This is a relatively simple procedure which really can help to improve the efficiency of your heating system and therefore the comfort of your home.

Further Information

If you need the assistance of a high quality team of Gas Safe Registered plumbers, give us a call on Tel. No. 020 7610 1616 and our skilled team of plumbers will be able to quickly pay you a visit.

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J&P is a family run business with over 60 years combined experience. From our premises in South-West London we provide a comprehensive range of property maintenance solutions for homes and businesses throughout London. These services include plumbers London, electrical work, drainage, boiler work, carpentry, roofing along with painting and decorating. We also offer an emergency plumbers in London service which is available 24/7. Simply call us on Tel. No. 020 7610 1616 for immediate assistance.